thrulaurenslens

michelle1

Sep, 2015

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Top 30 rank

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all-time favorite,unique shot

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morning light hits the flowers on the amalfi coast in Italy

Behind The Lens

Location

I took this photo in Beverly Hills at a friend's apartment.

Time

Late afternoon.

Lighting

I love the light. I photograph real women in their real apartments in their real clothes - no photoshop or retouching, just them. I don't follow the girl. I follow the light. She's backlit, which can be scary, but adds this softness to the photo, a dreamy haze, that fits with what she's doing. It makes it seem like a private moment - which it is - something a little voyeuristic, something intimate, that I just happened to capture.

Equipment

I used a Canon 6D, with a 50mm portrait lens.

Inspiration

I'm a woman, and I love photographing women. And it goes beyond that. I think, as women, our bodies often become our enemies. We look in the mirror and we see ourselves as a summation of all of our flaws, of all the things that could be better. Instead, we are imperfectly perfect. Every shoot I go on changes - I don't go in with an idea of what I want to capture, I let each woman I shoot create the entire experience together. I even do the shoot in my underwear. We're in it together after all. In the beginning, it's awkward and shy. And by the end we are running around with our tops off with idea after idea. It's a pretty special experience. The entire project is called #morethanamirror because that's what we are.

Editing

I will do a color pass, and adjust some of the exposure and lighting settings. But I avoid photoshop at all costs. I want each woman - and everyone viewing the photos - to know that this is REAL.

In my camera bag

An extra battery! I find that I often use the kit lens and my portrait lens. I have a telephoto lens which I love to use when I travel, and a macro lens for some intimate stuff.

Feedback

Let the light tell you where to go. And let go of the idea that you have to get something that's in your mind. A photograph happens out in the world, not in your imagination. Getting in touch with whoever you're photographing and where you are is key for me.

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michelle1

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